Running head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS 1
Substance Abuse Disorders
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS 2
Substance Abuse Disorders
Identify and discuss some risk factors within a family that can make a recovery from
substance use disorders more challenging. How can these risk factors affect treatment
planning?
Several risk factors could make a recovery from substance abuse disorders challenging.
These include addictive behaviors, peer pressure, as well as environmental factors. Addiction to
substance use contributes to mental health problems like depression, which subsequently
complicates the recovery process. On the issue of peer pressure, it is evident that it could be
challenging for an individual to quit substance abuse if they continue associating with their
addicted peers. Environmental factors such as neglect of the individual by their loved ones could
make the situation worse. For instance, teens or children without proper parental control may be
at a higher risk to continue taking alcohol or drugs. Interventions like appropriate medication and
therapy could help in managing substance use disorders. However, the above-discussed risk
factors may deter the patient from complying with the clinician’s instructions[CITATION CSApy
\l 1033 ].
Compare the characteristics of the drinking stage and the transition stage of recovery. How
are the treatment goals and interventions similar? How are they different?
During the drinking recovery stage, individuals tend to experience various adverse effects
posed by alcoholism, yet they are reluctant to concede they have a problem. Instead, they tend to
justify their alcohol drinking behavior. The family also tries to justify the drinking behavior of
their loved ones. Others in this stage could feel helpless and hopeless about their circumstance.
The most crucial facet of this stage is the move from meager awareness of the addition problem
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS 3
to real acknowledgment that change is required. The transition phase entails the individual
acknowledging the need for behavioral change and making the decision to quit drinking. Several
variables characterize the family setting during this stage. These include an increasingly out of
control setting, tightening defenses to curb fallbacks, as well as attempts to maintain ore beliefs
or denials[CITATION ARS \l 1033 ]
According to Keller (2015), both phases depict a disordered family endeavoring for
recovery. However, treatment interventions vary in both stages. In the drinking stage, the
therapist engages the alcoholic in sympathetic discourses that highlights the pros and cons of the
behavior. In the transition phase, the therapist focus on individual and family recovery.
References
AAC. (2020). Drug and Alcohol Addiction Interventions. Retrieved from Treatment Solutions:
https://www.treatmentsolutions.com/interventions/
CSAT. (2004). Substance abuse treatment and family therapy. NCBI.
Keller, A. (2015). Alcoholic Recovery Stages. Retrieved from DrugRehab:
https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/alcohol/stages-of-recovery/
